Peccadilloes in Nippon and in Nipponese with a Quixotic Perspective. Coming at you from Yokohama, near Tokyo.

March 24, 2009

How to Transport an Asura

Links are to Japanese articles with big pictures and make for good language study.Nara-- Asura seem to be a cranky bunch, so transporting them should be done with maximum care. This one is being sent the the Tokyo National Museum this month. Buddhist statues are usually transported on their side, but this one will be standing the whole way. [article]

Other interesting art-related articles I noticed recently:

Fuchi-- People unveiled a different kind of 像 (a character that usually means statue), with this cloth image of Kannon* draping a mountainside. [article]

Shibata--Other large cloth 像s can be seen being made here. These are 鯉のぼり, a type of windsock shaped like a carp that is hung out in May to garner fortune for male children.[article]--*: Are Kannon and Aryavalokitesvara the same? The article seems to switch to the latter name at one point. Well, Wikipedia seems to confirm it. Also, Kannon may be The Virgin Mary to some as well. Sheesh, (s)he's got a lot of names.